Dental bite block



Aug. 14, 1951 FIG. 5.

w. WADE 2,564,182

DENTAL BITE BLOCK Filed May 10, 1950 INVENTOI? M 6 Arm-e $7 516 Q/frne.

Patented Aug. 14, 1951 OFFICE 2,564,182 I DENTAL BITE BLooK William Lemma Wade, Birkdale, summon. I

England Application May 10, 1950, Serial No. 161,071 In Great Britain June 15, 1949 4 Claims. 1

In the usual process of preparing sets of artificial teeth, the dentist takes composition impressions or moulds of the patients upper and lower jaw ridges, plaster models bein cast from these moulds and wax bite blacks then made from the plaster models. Two such wax bite blocks are usually prepared by pressing a piece of sheet wax on to each plaster model and then rolling up warmed wax sheets to form thick wax rods which are then bent round to the shape of each plaster model in order to make upper and lower rims or blocks which are then used to take thebite of the patients mouth. This procedure necessitates two visits by the patient, a primary visit for taking the impressions for easting the plaster models, and a subsequent visit for taking the bite on the bite blocks prepared therefrom, and further, preparation of two bite blocks in this way takes up considerable time by the practitioner. The present invention concerns means whereby the jaw impressions from which the plaster models are to be cast, and also the bite position of the patients jaws, may be taken during a single visit, thus obviating the usual two visits by the patient for this purpose and savin considerable time both to the dentist and his patient.

Accord ng to this invention a pre-formed unit dental bite b ock for use in dentristy is made of impressionable material and has several angularly spaced arms connected together and extending from the connection, the unit dental bite block being adapted when inserted in the mouth to obta n a threeoint bite impression on opposite s des of the block of both the upper and lower jaw ridges.

In the accompanying explanatory drawin s:

F g. 1 is a perspective view of a pre-formed unit dental b te block of T-shape in accordance wit th s nvention.

Fig. 2 being a similar perspective view showing the iaw r d e im ressions on both sides of the block after the bite has been taken.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing how the plaster cast models of the upper and lower jaw are set engaging in the impressions in the bite block,

Fig. 4 being a perspective view of the plaster models in such position on the block.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of Y-shaped dental bite block.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 the pre-formed unit dental bite block I is made of wax or other suitable impressionable material and of T shape, having three arms a, b and c of preferably rectangular section. In utilizing such a bite block it is first softened by immersing the whole block in warm water, and then, holding the front arm a between the thumb and forefinger, the practitioner inserts the block into the mouth of the patient so that the two side arms b, c extend across between the ridges of the patients jaws at the back, with the front arm a between the ridges at the front. The patient is then allowed to close his jaws, thus indenting the arms a, b and c at three points on their upper and lower faces to the required depth, and forming upper and lower indentations 2, 3, 4. On the front panel la of the arm a the practitioner may then mark a centre front line 5 vertically, and the lip line 6 horizon tally.

The usual impression moulds of the patients jaws are taken at the same visit, and when the plaster casts l, 8 of the upper and lower jaws have been prepared from the moulds they are then set on the indented wax bite block I as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the jaw ridges la, 8a of the plaster blocks being engaged in the indentations 2, 3, 4 in the block, thus accurately and relatively positioning the plaster models 1, 8 according to the bite taken on the upper and lower faces of the block I. The plaster models so positioned on the bite block are then inserted I in an articulator which is set for the bite in known manner. The bite block I may then be removed, and the plaster models having been served with wax sheeting the artificial teeth may be set therein in the usual way.

While it is preferred that the unit dental bite block be of T-shape it may be suitably made of other armed formation adapted to provide an upper and lower three-point contact impression of both jaws at both sides and front of the patients mouth. For example, the block may be of Y-shape, as shown in Fig. 5, having the three arms a, b and c, the front arm a being held by the practitioner when inserting the block into the mouth, the side'bites of the upper and lower jaws being taken on the arms b, c' and the front bites on the arm a.

A pre-formed unit dental bite block as described is simple and practical in use, being easier to handle than the usual twin blocks and is quick in operation, while by rendering unnecessary an extra visit by the patient, as previously required, a considerable economy of time results both to the dentist and his patient.

What I claim is:

1. A pre-formed unit dental bite block made of impressionable material and having three angularly spaced arms connected together at a common origin and extending from the connection, the bite block being adapted when inserted in the mouth to obtain a three-point bite impression on opposite sides of the bite block of both the upper and lower jaw ridges.

2 A pre-formed unit dental bite block as claimed inclai'm I madeof wax.

3. A pre-formed unit dental bite block of substantially T-shape.

4. A pre-formed unit dental bite blockhaving three equi-angulariy spaced arms connected together at a common origin, and radiating from the point of connection.

WILLIAM LEONARD WADE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES: PATENTS Number Name Date 1,728,199 Eberhart Sept. 17, 1929 1,778,293 Galasso Oct. 14, 1930 2,1'832624 Schwartz Dec. 19, 1939 

